Air-conditioning device for internal-combustion motors



Jan. 7, 1930. D. HEAD ,47

AIR CONDITIONING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COHBUSTI'ION MOTORS Filed Dec. 12. 1937 2 Sheejas-Sheet l D. HEAD Jan. 7, 1930.

Filed D60. 12. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 7,1930

UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca I nnnw am, or cmcaeo, rumors am-ooimmonme navroa roa INTERNAL-COMBUSTION morons Application m December 12, 1927. Serial m. 230,407.

This invention relates to improvements in air conditioning devices for internal combustion motors, and more'particularly. to a device for treating the air entering the carburetor of the motor and to thereby improve the operating conditions. The object of the invention is to provide a practical anddependable apparatus through which the air is drawn prior to de- 71 livery to the carburetor, and by a novel application of the coolin water of the motor to obtain a more complete cleansing action; -A further object of the invention is to provide a practical means for bypassing a portion of the water from thecooling system, maintaining a constant circulation of this water through the apparatus, and finally controlling the circulation to prevent overflow and consequent depletion ,of the cooling water, A somewhat similar apparatus is disclosed in 111 previous appllcation, Serial No. 158,448, ed January 3, 1927, and hence the present disclosure is directed to l certain improved features of construction 2 and arrangement, the preferred embodiment thereof being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a general view in side elevation of an automobile motor and radiator,

showing the complete installation of the air conditionin dev ce. 2

Figure 2 1s an enlarged detail'view vertical section through the air treating casing. Figure 3 is'a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view in section of the so-called siphon breaker in the 40 water line.

In Figure 1 is. shown a typical motor as-- sembly for an automobile consisting of the motor 1, provided with a carburetor 2, a belt-driven fan 3, and a radiator 4 located in front ofthe motor. The radiator-performsits usual function of cooling'the water, being connected at top and bottom with the water jacket of the motor. The water circulating pump 5 for the cooling system is located intermediate the lower water connection (not shown) and the motor. Further details of motor construction and operation are omitted, as these are matters of general knowledge and practice.

he mam part of the air conditioning apparatus is a c lindric casing or housing 6 mounted just elow and forwardly of the carburetor 2, a suitable bracket or supporting arms 6", 6 being riveted to the casing and adapted to be bolted or otherwise fastened to the motor block (Figure 4). The casing is mounted in a vertlcal position and is connected with the air intake of the carburetor by an elbow 7 of slightly greater diameter'at its outer or lower end. As clearly shown in Figure 2, the casing comprises an outer cylindric shell 8 and an inner cdiicentric shell 9. The outer shell is preferably made in two sections parted midway between its ends, and joined together with a lap joint as at lO, so 7 that the same can be taken apart for cleanin and assembly,.but in use it can be considere as a unitary casing. The upper end of the outer shell 8 is partially closed by a top wall 11 having a centrally located opening 12 of relatively large diameter surrounded by a flange 11 over which fits the lower end of the elbow 7. At the lower end of the. casing is a conical shaped bottom wall 13 forming a relatively shallow basin or sump with its deepest point atthe center.-

The inner shell 9 has the form of an inverted cylindric receptacle opening down- *wardly and closed at the upper end by a wall 9". The diameter of the inner shell 9 is slightly more than one-half the diameter of the outer shell 8, thus forming an annular space between, and so proportioned that its area is substantially the same as thecross- Y sectional area of theinnershell. The upper wall 9 of the inner'shell 9 is spaced below the top wall 11 of the outer shell 8 a distance substantially equal tothe radial distance between the two shells, and at its lower end said inner shell is s aced a somewhat eater as distance above the ottom wall 13. round the upper end of the inner shell 9 is a plurality of radial tubes 14, shown inFigure 3 as five in number, s aced e uidistantly apart around the circum erence. hese tubes loo register with circular. holes in the outer casing and communicate with the atmosphere; Extending through the outer cylindrlc ,shell 8 is a water inlet connection 15 in the .similar fitting 18, this fitting being preferably located 90 away from the'first-mentioned fitting and entering at a slightly lower level. A pipe 19 extending'radially inward from the fitting 18 to the center of the casing and curving downwardly, terminates just above the central and deepest point of the conical bottom wall 13. Connected with the outer end of the fitting 19 is a discharge or return pipe 20 leading forwardly toward the radiator.

Referring to Figure 1, the water connections to and from the casing 6 will now be explained: By preference, the liquid supply to the casing 6 is taken off at the top of the water pump atsome point 21, although a connection may be made at any desirable point in the cooling system fairly well below the top level. From the point of connection 21, a pipe 22 extends vertically upward to a device termed a siphon breaker 23 mounted just rearwardly of the radiator and as close to the high water level therein as possible. In general, the siphon breaker has the form of an inverted U-tube or fitting, one branch being connected with the pipe 22 and the other with the pipe 17 extending to the water inlet fitting of the casing 6.

For the present it may be assumed that the water from the cooling system is delivered into the basin or sump at the bottom of the outer shell 8 through the'pipe line just described, and is discharged through the fitting 18 and return pipe which leads dircctly to a pump 24 mounted at the forward end of the motor and driven therefrom through a suitable drive. This pump 24; is a separate unit and is operated independently of the main water pump 5 of the 0001 ing system. From, the pump 24 is another pipe 25 leading upwardly and discharging into the top of the radiator.

Referring to the siphon breaker 23, the same comprises an inverted U-shaped pipe or fitting26 (Figure 5) having a similarly shaped passage connected at opposite ends with the pipes 22 and 17 which together with the siphon breaker form the water inlet supply line. At the top of the fitting 26 is a pipe connection 27 from which extends a vent pipe or tube 28 forwardly into the upper part of the radiator and terminating in an upturned end 28 extending into the filling neck 4 of the radiator and above the high water level therein. Extending inwardly from vent pipe connection 27 is a cavity 29 tangential with the top of the U-passage in the fitting, and mounted in this cavity is an extension 30 of the vent pipe 28, having its end terminating beyond the vertical center line of the U-shaped passage. Moreover,

the inner end of the vent pipe extension 30 opens in the general direction in which the water flows through the fitting 26, namely, upward in pipe 22 and downwardly in pipe 27, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 5. The purpose of the extension 30 of the vent pipe is to facilitate the breaking of the siphon with as little discharge of water as possible into the radiator, this being due to the fact i that the extension is not only reduced some what in size, but its inlet opens in the same direction as the water. is flowing, and hence less quantity of water will be diverted than would be the case if the extension were omitted. In other words, the arrangement herein disclosed serves to reduce the flow of water through the vent pipe 28,although no particular disadvantage wouldre'sult from a more voluminous flow. The necessity for a siphon breaker will be readily understood from the following description of the action of the conditioning device:

In the first place, it is manifest that the suction of the motor when in operation draws large quantities of airinto the carburetor for mixture with the liquid hydrocarbon, in ac- 'of the road. It follows, therefore, that the streams of dust-laden air entering horizontally from all directions, meet each other at the top of the inner shells and then travel vertically downward toward the bottom of the center shell where the air makes a reverse turn through travelling upwardly in the space between the inner and outer casings, and thence discharged through the outlet opening 12 at the top and into the carburetor through the elbow 7.

The dust particles are carried along with the air, but owing to the change in direction on entering the inner shell and the swirling action attending the meeting of the several incominmstreams their velocity is reduced somewhat, so thaton reaching the end of their downward travel they either drop or their inertia carries them into contact with the surface of the water in the basin and are trapped thereby, the air being thus se rated from the dirt passing on and upwar through the basin by the described connections with the cooling system. The water is maintained at a predetermined level by the position of the discharge pipe outlet and the rate of this charge therethrough, it belng observed that the outlet pipe 19 is of slightly greater diameter than the inlet pipe 16, -so that the rate of discharge is always greater than the rate of intake, and that the level of the opening to the outlet pipe determines the level of the water in the basin. Hence by properly proportionin the inlet and outlet connections and locatmg the opening to the discharge pipe at the desired height, the proper'level for most effective cleaning action is obtained. In general, the higher the water level the greater the effectiveness of the cleaning action within certain limits. For instance, if the level of the water is varied between bottom and top of the conical basin, there will be a marked variation in the area of water exposed. On the, other hand,

if the level is raised above the top of the conical basin, the passage for the air w1ll be restricted in greater or less degree with the result that the velocity of the air in negotiating the 180 turn may be increased to such a point that the water is agitated and too large an amount is picked up and carried into the carburetor. Hence, it is important to determine the proper water level, which as before suggested, should be somewhere ad]acent the top of the conical basin. The air striking the surface of the water manifestly absorbs some moisture which is quite beneficial to 'eiiicient carburetion, and therefore is an advantage, but the amount of'water so absorbed should not be excessive, as it would result in an undue drain on. the cooling water, where- 'as a normal absorption would not be objectionable from this standpoint. It also follows that the trapped in the well is carried into the cooling system, and eventually disposed of when the cooling system is drained, as itis or should be periodically under any conditions. This introduction of dirt into the cooling water may at first appear to be impractical, but bearing in mind that the actual amount of dirt collected is small in comparison with the amount'of rust particles and other forei'gn matter. which is thrown oil under ordi- .vapor dirt and dust nary operating conditions, the added matter is of little consequence.

' The flow of water from the cooling system through the intake line to the casing 6, 18 due to the pressure of the pump 5 which carries 7 is operating to withdraw and return it to the cooling system. When the motor stops, the

dischar e ceases, but in the absence of means for breziking the siphon, the water would continue to flow into-the basin, inasmuch as the inlet to the basin is lower than the take-ofi from the coolin system. ence, by locating the siphon brea er at the hi h water level and venting it into the top of t e radiator, the flow is interrupted as soon as the motor stops by the breaking of the siphon action.

The advantage of the air conditioning apparatus herein disclosed, is the combined use of water and the reversal of the direction of the air through the casing to separate out the particles of dirt. The larger and heavier particles would probably be thrown down into the bottom of the casing and collected with the air currents. to trap the finer dust particles which otherwise'would not be removed. Moreover, theheat from the motorand of the water being circulated through the apparatus, raises the temperature of the walls of the casing with which the air comes into contact, thus preheatin the air. And finally, the moisture or ing constantly given off from the surface of the water, is absorbed by the air and thus improves its condition for more efficient carburetion. v

If desired, valves could be installed in the water feed lines so that the water circulation could be shut off in extreme cold weather or during the winter months when dust is not oint of' so prevalent as in the dry summer months.

Under such conditions, the apparatus would still remove the larger particles of foreign matter, aside from eating the air to some extent, inasmuch as considerable heat would be transmitted to the casing from the motor by conduction.

Having set forth a preferred embodiment theatmosphere, and a basin at the bottom- 65 and a pipe communicating wit thereof adapted to contain madman.

level of water, means within said casing for 5 air outlet, a water inlet sai . 2 In an air conditioning device for inter-- nal combustion motors, the combination with the cooling system thereof, of a'cylindric casin sail motor and having an air outlet connected with the carburetor of said motor and an air inlet communicating with the atmosphere,

the bottom of said casing being closed toform a relatively shallow basin adapted to contain a predetermined level of water therein, means above said basin for directing the incoming air downwardly over the surface of said water and thence upwardly to said air 2; outlet, a water inlet pi e leading from said coo stem to the casing, awater discharge pipel g from said casing to said cooling system, a pump located in said discharge pipe and a siphon breaker located in said im so let pipe substantially at the normal water level in said coolin system.

3. In an air con 'tioning device for internal combustion motors, the combination with the coo system thereof, of a cylindric t5 casin ha an air outlet at its. top connecte with e carburetor of said motor and air inlet to the atmosphere, the bottom of said casing formin a relativel shallow basin adapted to ave a r etermined level of water maintained t erein means for conducting the air through said casing and in oontactwith the surface of said water, an inlet pipe connecting the casing with the cooling, system at a level above the level of the water in said casing, and havin an inverted .U-bend intermediate its ends su tially at the high water level in said cooling system, means for venting said inlet pipe atsaid U-bend, and a return pipe leadmg from said casing to said coolin system.

4. In an air conditioning device or internal combustion motors, the combination with 7 the cooling system thereof, of a cylindric casmg ha an outlet connected with the carburetor 0 said motor and an air inlet to the atmosphere, the bottom of said casing forming a relatively shallow basln adapted to have a redetermined level of water maintained erein, means for conducting the air through said casing in contact with the surface of the water therein, an inlet pipe connecting said cooling system with said casing and. having an inverted U-bend substantially at the high water level of said cooling system,

the top the cooling system thereof, of a cylindric casmounted in-vertical position adjacent" of aid u-bna and terminating in the radiator of said cooling system above the normal I di the incoming air downwardly over times of said water and thence to said water level therein. 5. ,In an air conditioning device for internal combustion motors, the combination with mg an outlet connected with the carburetor 0 said motor and anair inlet to the atmosphere, the bottom of said casing forming a relatively shallow basin adapted to havea predetermined level of water main-- tained t erein, a cylindric shell mounted in said casing above the basin thereof, closed at its upper end and open at'its lower end, a plurality of radial tubes extending from the upper end of said shell through said casing and communicating. with the atmosphere, and means for circulating water from'said cooling system through said basin and maintainingt e same at a predetermined level.

6. In an airconditioning device for the pur ose described, the combination with the coo mg system and radiator of an internal combustion motor, of a. casing havin an air outlet communicating with the cai buretor of said motor, an air inlet communicating with the atmosphere, water inlet and discharge pipes leading to and from said cooling system and communicating with said casing, means for maintaining the circulation of water through said casing while said motor is in operation, and means for interrupting the circulation when said motor is stopped, comprisin vertical up and down branch pipes in said water inlet pipe terminating in an inverted 'U-bend adjacent the top of said radiator, and a vent pipe extending horizontally from said U-bend and opening into said radiator above the normal water level therein.

7. In an air conditioning device for the pur ose described, the combination with the coo ing system and radiator of an internal combustfim motor, of a casing having an air outlet communicati'ngwith the carburetor of said motor, an air inlet communicating with. the atmosphere, water inlet and discharge pipes leadlng to and from said cooling system and communicating with said casing, and a siphon breaker in said water inlet p1 e com prislng vertical u I and down branc es terminating in a U- end at the normal high water level in said cooling system, and'a vent pipe extending laterally from said U-bend and terminating in the top of said radiator and) having an extension within said U-bend and openin toward the down branch of said siphon brea er.

8. In an air conditioning device for internal combustion motors, the combination with the cooling system thereof, of a casing mounted adjacent said motor in vertical position and having an air outlet connected with the carburetor of said motor and an air inlet com- -municating with the atmosphere, anwater inlet pipe leading from said cooling system cembei 1927. DREW HEAD. 

